Module 11 Skills Test_revised in health care

Skill test

1. Prepare and Use Skills Assessments

2. Three Steps in Skill Development Introduce and demonstrate a skill. Observe students as they practice the skill and give feedback to help them improve their performance. Assess students for competency in the skill. 2

3. Objectives Select methods for assessing the skills of students Prepare skills assessments Develop structured practical examinations Administer and score skills assessments Use results to improve performance 3

4. Skill Assessment Methods Direct observation of students as they perform skills Structured feedback reports on students’ performance Logbooks, learning journals, and care plans 4

5. Checklists A list of steps needed to perform a skill correctly, listed in the correct sequence. Assessor observes each step. Well-constructed checklists should contain only sufficient detail to help the assessor evaluate and record the student’s performance. 5

6. Designing a Checklist Identify the steps or tasks Place the steps in the correct sequence. Identify the standards or minimum level of performance Include the key elements of a checklist Field-test the checklist Validate with subject matter experts 6

7. Structured Practical Examinations Students rotate through a series of stations and is observed by an assessor Students demonstrate a skill, interpret diagnostic materials, or respond to short questions or case studies during a limited time All students are assessed according to the same standards MSAT & OSCE 7

8. Steps to Prepare for a Structured Practical Examination Select the learning objectives to be tested Decide on an activity that addresses each learning objective Map out a plan for the stations Plan the details for each station 8

9. Use Results to Improve Performance Give students an opportunity to ask questions Instruct students to practice the steps that they performed incorrectly The teaching methods did not adequately cover that learning objective, or the task needs to be redefined if many students had trouble with the same tasks 9

10. Summary Direct observation is the most valid method for assessing skills This method can be improved by using standardized tools Structured practical examinations require time for planning and preparing valid stations Assessing students’ skills is one of the keys to improving students’ performance 10